Note – CDFA has established the California Industrial Hemp Program, in accordance with state statute, and is working to develop a registration process, fee structure, regulations, and other administrative details as necessary to provide for the commercial production of industrial hemp. This work is ongoing. 

By Oli Bachie,  University of California Cooperative Extension (UCCE) Agronomy Advisor for Imperial, Riverside and San Diego counties.

EXCERPTED

Hemp, Cannabis sativa L., is a dioecious annual plant that has not been grown legally in California for many years due to regulatory restrictions.  In recent years, the restrictions have been loosened and many industry groups have shown research interest with industrial hemp. A 2015 federal law removed hemp from the list of controlled substances as long as its tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) content did not exceed 0.3 percent.

State Senate Bill 566 (the California Industrial Hemp Farming Act), defines industrial hemp as a fiber or oilseed crop, or both, that is limited to the non-psychoactive types of the plant and the seed produced, having no more than 0.3 percent THC contained in the dried flowering tops.

The bill emphasizes that industrial hemp be grown only if it is on the list of approved seed cultivars and would require the Department of Food and Agriculture to determine the methodology and procedure by which the list of approved seed cultivars may be amended, as specified.

Industrial hemp is a versatile fiber crop and is known to produce food, fuel, feed, fiber for textiles, bio-composite plastics and other advanced manufacturing materials, oils for industrial and cosmetic purposes, and pharmaceuticals, with more than 25,000 linked products.

In terms of resource requirements for production, at least one study suggested that it is possible to produce three times the amount of hemp fiber as cotton from the same amount of land with lower impact in terms of water, energy and the ecological footprint. Hemp is considered to consume 66 percent to 76 percent less water than cotton. It is heat-tolerant and produces excellent fiber.

The University of California Cooperative Extension-Imperial County intends to conduct research on industrial hemp at the UC Desert Research and Extension Center. The objectives of our trials are to test adaptability and potential yield of some selected cultivars. The outcome of our research will help to identify cultivars that may withstand heat, high temperatures and other environmental conditions of the low desert.

We will evaluate seed and fiber (straw) yield and productivity, strictly following the guidelines specified by the U.S. Farm Bill (Agricultural Act). According to this bill, industrial hemp must be grown or cultivated for research purposes conducted under an agriculture pilot program or academic research with a THC concentration of no more than 0.3 percent on a dry weight basis.

If levels exceed this value, the trials should be destroyed. In summary, our trial(s) will confirm if industrial hemp can withstand the dry and hot weather and be productive under mostly long photoperiod seasons of the low desert. Seasonally repeated trials will identify the best planting dates, adaptability and suitability of hemp varieties for California’s low desert environment.

Note: This is not an endorsement of hemp production by growers or any other interested party in the low desert. This is to simply state that the university will soon be conducting industrial hemp adaptability and yield potential under the low desert environment. We encourage growers and the farm community to share their concerns on our intended trial(s) with the UCCE Imperial County.

Link to Imperial Valley Press

Watch this video about CDFA’s Border Inspection Stations.

From a CSU Chico News Release

The Agribusiness Institute (ABI) at California State University, Chico has released a report detailing agriculture’s contributions to the regional economy of Northeastern California. The report based on 2016 data shows that despite a continued decrease in commodity prices from a high in 2014, agriculture continues to be a driving force in job creation and economic activity within the region.

One in five jobs and $.16 of every dollar created by the Northeastern California economy was tied to agriculture in 2016, according to The Contribution of Agriculture to Northeastern California’s Economy in 2016, written by ABI Director Eric Houk, a professor of agricultural business in the College of Agriculture. The report covers economic activity in Butte, Colusa, Glenn, Lassen, Modoc, Plumas, Shasta, Sierra, Siskiyou, Sutter, Tehama, Trinity and Yuba Counties.

The 13 counties in the study area produced $3.9 billion worth of agricultural products in 2016, which was down 5.2 percent from the previous year and 13.3 percent lower than 2014 due to decreased global commodity prices. Despite the decline of the two prior years, agricultural production in the region was up 38 percent from 2007.

The full report is available online at www.csuchico.edu/ag/about/agribusiness-institute.shtml

CDFA, the USDA and local government partners continue their work to eradicate a virulent Newcastle disease outbreak in Southern California. There are now 106 cases of the disease that have been detected in backyard birds in California – 80 in San Bernardino County, 11 in Riverside County, 14 in Los Angeles County and one in Ventura County.

A reminder that virulent Newcastle disease is a highly contagious and deadly virus in birds. The virus is found in respiratory discharges and feces. Clinical signs in birds include:

• sneezing
• coughing 
• nasal discharge 
• green watery diarrhea 
• depression 
• neck twisting 
• circling 
• muscle tremors 
• paralysis
• decreased egg production 
• swelling around eyes and neck 
• sudden death

Important Message to Bird Owners in Los Angeles, Riverside, San Bernardino and Ventura counties

If you own backyard birds, it is imperative that you restrict movement of your flock. Do not bring in any new birds or move out any existing birds. It is essential that good biosecurity measures are set in place for those who own backyard birds. These include simple steps like:

1) Washing hands and scrubbing boots BEFORE and AFTER entering poultry areas

2) Cleaning and disinfecting tires and equipment before moving them off the property

3) Instituting a 30-day isolation/quarantine of birds in your flock in which you have noticed symptoms, AND PLEASE CALL THE STATE BIRD HOTLINE, 866-922-2473.

Click here for Additional bird owner information.

By Seth Borenstein, Associated Press science writer

As temperatures rise in the U.S. West, so do the flames.

The years with the most acres burned by wildfires have some of the hottest temperatures, an Associated Press analysis of fire and weather data found. As human-caused climate change has warmed the world over the past 35 years, the land consumed by flames has more than doubled.

Experts say the way global warming worsens wildfires comes down to the basic dynamics of fire. Fires need ignition, oxygen and fuel. And what’s really changed is fuel — the trees, brush and other plants that go up in flames.

“Hotter, drier weather means our fuels are drier, so it’s easier for fires to start and spread and burn more intensely,” said University of Alberta fire scientist Mike Flannigan.

It’s simple, he said: “The warmer it is, the more fire we see.”

Federal fire and weather data show higher air temperatures are turbocharging fire season.

The five hottest Aprils to Septembers out West produced years that on average burned more than 13,500 square miles (35,000 square kilometers), according to data at the National Interagency Fire Center and the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration .

That’s triple the average for the five coldest Aprils to Septembers.

The Western summer so far is more than 3 degrees Fahrenheit (1.7 degrees Celsius) warmer than the 20th century average. California in July logged its hottest month in 124 years of record-keeping.

The five years with the most acres burned since 1983 averaged 63.4 degrees from April to September. That’s 1.2 degrees warmer than average and 2.4 degrees hotter than the years with the least acres burned, AP’s data analysis shows.

In California, the five years with the most acres burned (not including this year) average 2.1 degrees warmer than the five years with the least acres burned.

A degree or two may seem like not much, but it is crucial for fuel. The hotter it is, the more water evaporates from plants. When fuel dries faster, fires spread more and burn more intensely, experts said.

For every 1.8 degrees Fahrenheit that the air warms, it needs 15 percent more rain to make up for the drying of the fuel, Flannigan said.

Fuel moisture levels in California and Oregon are flirting with record dry levels, NOAA western regional climate center director Tim Brown said.

And low humidity is “the key driver of wildfire spread,” according to University of Colorado fire scientist Jennifer Balch who says the Western U.S. soon will start to see wildfires of 1 million acres (1,562 square miles).

Veteran Colorado hotshot firefighter Mike Sugaski used to consider 10,000-acre (16-square-mile) fires big, now he fights ones 10 times that or more.

“You kind of keep saying, ‘How can they get much worse?’ But they do,” Sugaski said.

The number of U.S. wildfires hasn’t changed much over the last few decades, but the area consumed has soared.

“The year 2000 seemed to be some kind of turning point,” said Randy Eardley, the fire center’s chief spokesman.

From 1983 to 1999, the United States didn’t reach 10,000 square miles burned annually. Since then, 10 years have had more than 10,000 square miles burned, including 2017, 2015 and 2006 when more than 15,000 square miles burned.

Some people who reject mainstream climate science point to statistics that seem to show far more acres burned in the 1930s and 1940s. But Eardley said statistics before 1983 are not reliable because fires “may be double-counted, tripled-counted or more.”

Nationally, more than 8,900 square miles (23,050 kilometers) have burned this year, about 28 percent more than the 10-year average as of mid-August. California is having one of its worst years.

Scientists generally avoid blaming global warming for specific extreme events without extensive analysis, but scientists have done those extensive examinations on wildfire.

John Abatzgolou of the University of Idaho looked at forest fires and dry conditions in the Western United States from 1979 to 2015 and compared that to computer simulations of what would be expected with no human-caused climate change. He concluded that global warming had a role in an extra 16,200 square miles (42,000 square kilometers) of forests burning since 1984.

A study of the 2015 Alaska fire season — the second biggest on record — did a similar simulation analysis, concluding that climate change from the burning of coal, oil and gas increased the risk of the fire season being that severe by 34 to 60 percent.

One 2015 study said globally fire seasons are about 18.7 percent longer since 1979. Another study that year says climate change is increasing extreme wildfire risk in California where wildfires already are year-round.

Also, drought and bark beetles have killed 129 million trees in California since 2016, creating more fuel.

Link to story

By Nan Sterman

If you dream of gardening but live in an apartment or a high rise or simply don’t have the space, don’t give up. Look for a nearby community garden — a piece of land from several acres to less than an acre, divided into garden plots available to local residents. Community gardens are spaces where individuals and families of all ages, races, creeds and levels of experience grow together.

San Diego County is home to more than 80 community gardens from north to south, east to west, and no two gardens are the same. Some are on city property and managed by the local city. Many community gardens are on church property operated independently of the church. School sites are home to community gardens, as are regional parks. UC San Diegohosts nine thriving community gardens and one satellite garden. A community garden in downtown San Diego sits on property belonging to the Port of San Diego.

Community garden plots range from 4 feet by 4 feet up to quarter-acre micro farms. Most gardeners grow for their own use, but larger-scale gardeners sell their produce at area farmers markets. Neighbors learn from neighbors, both formally and informally in community gardens. Some gardens hold member events, including classes on how to grow fruits, vegetables, herbs and flowers.

Typically, community gardens charge a modest fee for each plot to cover the costs of water, shared tools, insurance, classes, etc.

Tijuana River Valley Community Garden

Location: Tijuana River Valley Regional Park

Managed by: Resource Conservation District

Number of plots: 210, from 30-by-30 feet to a quarter acre

Fee: $235/year for a 30-by-30-foot plot

Serves: National City, Chula Vista, Imperial Beach, San Ysidro, San Diego 92154

Information: www.rcdsandiego.org

A very diverse group of gardeners reflects the surrounding community in terms of ethnic diversity and ages, from young families to retired military veterans. This garden’s plots are among the roomiest in the region, so there is plenty of space to grow. It is a peaceful, beautiful garden where each plot reflects the tastes (literally) and style of its owner.

The Resource Conservation District (RCD), which manages this community garden, offers educational workshops to garden members. They’ve planted a hedgerow of native plants along one edge to attract pollinators that do their magic in the vegetable garden plots. Thanks to a recent grant from the California Department of Food and Agriculture, RCD plans to use a section of the garden to test different soil management practices, to determine how each sequesters carbon to reduce greenhouse gases and ease global warming.

Mosaic Community Garden of Chula Vista

Location: 960 Fifth Ave., Chula Vista

Managed by: Self-governing board of directors

Number of plots: 25, ranging from 3 by 7 feet to 5 by 15 feet

Fee: $60/six months, plus deposit

Serves: Nearby residents of Chula Vista

Information: Facebook/Mosaic Community Garden of Chula Vista, @Mosaic.CGCV

Mosaic Community Garden is a privately run garden located on just under an acre of land owned by Shadow Mountain Community Church in Chula Vista. The garden was founded in 2014 with the goal of teaching people to grow food using organic practices. Gardeners of all ages and occupations share this space, including some that come to gardening because they want to improve their diet.

Recently, this garden did a special project with students from High Tech High that focused on healthy eating practices for families. The students were so inspired, they now share a garden plot where they are learning the “Square Foot” gardening method.

This garden also offers workshops to members and to the wider community, some based on gardening, some more art focused, some with an emphasis on science and conservation. Funds from workshop fees go to keep the garden in supplies like water timers, hoses, etc.

By Kevin Hecteman, Ag Alert / California Farm Bureau Federation

As the Ranch Fire became California’s largest-ever wildfire during the past weekend, the county where it’s doing the most damage—Lake—continued assessing the toll on local farmers and ranchers.

Keith Brandt, compliance and safety manager at Bella Vista Farming in Kelseyville and president of the Lake County Farm Bureau, said he’s aware of damage to vineyards in the areas of Upper Lake, Clover Valley, New Long Valley and High Valley.

“Damage due to smoke remains a concern, and many growers are assessing vineyard conditions and the appropriate next steps as warranted,” Brandt said by email.

He added that pear harvest is in full swing and should be completed within the next two to three weeks.

The Ranch and River fires, together called the Mendocino Complex by Cal Fire, combined to become the largest wildfire in recorded state history last week, and on Sunday the Ranch Fire, by itself, surpassed the 281,893 acres burned by the Thomas Fire in Ventura and Santa Barbara counties last December and January.

Steven Hajik, Lake County agricultural commissioner, said his early estimates show damage to 3.5 acres of pears, 10 acres of grapes and 15 acres of walnuts. Hajik emphasized that these early estimates are subject to change, although the fires were moving away from production areas.

“I’ve seen burned-up orchards and I’ve seen singed orchards,” he said. “I’ve seen singed grapes and burned-up grapes, same with pears.”

In addition to smoke concerns for winegrape growers, “we have a lot of young plantings of grapes,” Hajik said. “Some of the people could not get in to their properties to properly water them.”

The largest Lake County impact by far is to rangeland, Hajik said, with 45,000 acres affected. He also estimated 2,000 acres of timber production were damaged, “but that’s probably on the low side.”

To the west, Devon Jones, executive director of the Mendocino County Farm Bureau, said she’s working with the local U.S. Department of Agriculture Farm Service Agency office to map properties within the fire perimeter, and reach out to the owners to assess the impact of the fire and the needs of residents.

“We’ve lost a lot of feed, and so there might be a need of trying to coordinate some sort of effort on helping with hay,” Jones said, noting that livestock operations had taken the brunt of the fire damage but others had also been affected.

“There were some blocks of grapes that were in the fire footprint, but the couple members that I talked to that had irrigation had the sprinklers running, and that really minimized impacts to that vineyard area,” she said.

Elsewhere in California, two federal Cabinet secretaries—Agriculture Secretary Sonny Perdue and Interior Secretary Ryan Zinke—visited Shasta County, where the Carr Fire had damaged more than 200,000 acres.

In Orange and Riverside counties, the Holy Fire, which started Aug. 6, had caused no reported damage to agriculture, according to the Orange County Farm Bureau and the Orange County agricultural commissioner’s office.

“From what I know of the fire location, it’s mostly been centered up in some of the foothills where, historically, there used to be a fair bit of grazing, but all the grazing has been phased out,” said Casey Anderson, executive director of the Orange County Farm Bureau. “A lot of the agriculture production is centered down in the valleys and along the transportation corridors here through Orange County.”

Farmers and ranchers who need assistance with wildfire damage and loss can find information and links to disaster-relief programs at www.cfbf.com/wildfireaid.